The Scorpion's Tale
by SerenityandLight
Summary: Her hand rested on the figurine. It felt cold beneath her fingertips. She grasped it firmly and turned. Numbness radiated through her body. If she had not been certain that the scorpion was metal she would have sworn it stung her. R/C but eventually E/C
1. Release

Christine's wrists ached and her head pounded. She was tied to a wooden chair and the ropes cut unforgivingly into her wrists. Her golden hair dangled over her face, masking the still bleeding reminder of her suicide attempt. Perhaps she had succeeded. She was told as a child that taking one's own life was a guaranteed passage to hell, and that is where she was certain she was. For surely hell could be no worse than this.

The tears began to flow of their own accord, streaming down her porcelain face. This was the end she was sure her life was over. She would never see the sun again she would remain for all eternity within the confines of this dark prison.

"You know it pains me to see you cry." Erik stated simply, slowly approaching the weeping figure.

"Then let me go," was Christine's soft reply. It was barely audible but Erik heard it none the less.

"Christine knows Erik can't do that." He said sadly, kneeling at her feet and clutching the hem of her dress.

Her only response was the continued shedding of her tears.

Erik stood and left her, seeking solace in his own bedroom. He sat at the organ and let his head fall into his hands. He let out a heart wrenching sigh and he himself began to cry. Didn't she know that a piece of his soul died with every tear she shed? That he loved her too much to let her go? She was his life, his muse, his sole reason to live. If she left he would die. But he knew he was killing her. She was a delicate rose that need sunlight and tender care. The darkness of his world and his blood stained hands would surely cause her to wilt and die. But he couldn't let her go.

"Christine."

It was a soft and gentle sound. Its utterance briefly dried her tears. She was unsure of its location and wonder if it was merely in her head. For she was certain her Raoul had just called her name.

"Christine, are you there?" Came the same soft voice.

"Raoul?" She croaked, her heart lifting slightly from its dark despair.

"Oh Christine! Yes my love it is I! I am here to rescue you!"

Christine's heart fluttered at the sound of her lover's voice.

"Mademoiselle I need you to let us out." A voice unfamiliar to Christine directed.

"Monsieur I can't, he has tied me to a chair." Christine's voice wavered as she suppressed a sob.

"You must find a way, it's our only chance." Raoul whispered.

"The monster claims to love you, ask him to release you. If he harbors any true affection he shall release you from your bonds." The unfamiliar voice said.

"I, I shall try." Christine whispered.

Erik was smart and Christine knew it. She had no idea how she could ever convince him to release her. Her acting skills were lacking and she had always been a terrible liar. She was certain that no matter what tactic she tried Erik would see through it.

Her head throbbed as she tried to think. The pain from her head wound was clouding her thoughts making it difficult to form a single coherent thought let alone a plan. How was she supposed to beckon him to her without arousing his suspicions? To Christine's luck she did not have to beckon him for he soon returned of his own volition.

"Christine has stopped crying." Erik stated, standing in the door frame.

Christine sniffed and looked up at his masked face, "Please untie me. The ropes hurt my wrists. I swear I shall not again attempt to kill myself."

Erik eyed her warily before moving behind her and undoing her bonds. When he saw her red, swollen wrists he broke into a hysterical sob, "I have hurt Christine, Erik promised her no harm and I have damaged her pretty wrists. For that alone Erik deserves death."

Christine stared at him. She hated him. She hated him for everything. She was reasonably happy before he came along. Not carefree like the other girls but at least she wasn't miserable. Sure, she now had the voice of a prima donna and the heart of her old friend, who would not have noticed her otherwise, but she would not get to enjoy either. For she was certain that if she stayed here she would never sing on stage again and if Erik ever discovered Raoul in his house he would kill him without a second thought. Yet as she stared at the broken man at her feet, begging for her forgiveness and asking for death for harming her, she could not bring herself to express it. She wanted to tell him that he did indeed deserve death, that he was a horrible man that ruined her life, but all she could manage was a meager, "It's really not that bad."

Erik flung himself at her feet and kissed her shoes. "Christine is too kind to Erik. Christine knows Erik meant her no harm?"

"I know Erik." She uttered.

She did not understand him. How could a man murder without remorse yet torture himself over causing her a sore wrist? She knew he had been mistreated all his life. That he was abused like an animal. People acted as though he had no feelings. Once she had condemned them but now she was about to become one of them.

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed! Please review! It really does help along the writing process!**


	2. Misery

Christine took a step back, pulling the fabric of her dress from Erik's grasp. His hand hung momentarily in the air before falling to the ground. In one swift movement he stood and disappeared from her view.

Christine practically ran to the door where her lover lay behind, she pressed her body against the wall wishing to be as close to Raoul as she could.

"Raoul he has freed me." She whispered to the door, trying the handle. "But the door is locked."

"Then you must find the key." Raoul ushered in earnest.

"I don't know where…" Christine started, but her thought was cut short by a tragic melody coming from elsewhere in the house.

"Christine?' Raoul whispered softly bring Christine back to reality.

"It's by the organ." Christine replied.

The melody grew louder as Christine approached Erik. It was the most tragic sound she had ever heard. It took everything in her to not drop to her knees and cry. What kind of life had Erik led to know so much pain? It was heartbreaking.

Christine hesitated in the doorway, her hands trembling as she grasped the frame for support. Her knees grew weak as a sob grew in her chest and for the first time tonight it wasn't for herself. It was for Erik, a man who possessed so much but was given so little. He was innocent once and what had the world given this innocent child? Torture, pain and indifference. Could she really blame him for his actions? An hour ago she had tried to kill herself for the misery he had put her through. Erik had faced that torment since he was a child and yet he stood on the opposite of the door she was grasping for support. Her despair paled in the light of his. It made her feel weak, she was willing to surrender after a night while he had stayed strong his entire life.

So she cried. Cried for Erik, cried for humanity and cried for herself. How could she twist his affections again? She claimed to be a good person and yet she was willing to throw the death blow to this man. The more she listened to his heart ache, the worse she felt. He cried over her injured wrists while she had pulled him along like a puppy on a leash. He was faithful to her and would die for her if she asked. And how had she repaid him? By running around with Raoul and making plans to desert him. She was a coward. Erik had asked for her hand and how did she respond? By becoming engaged to another man. Regardless of her answer, Erik had deserved better. The music stopped and once again the only sound in the house was Christine's tears.

Christine forced herself to stop crying and slowly opened the door to Erik. He was sitting on the organ stool his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. He was not crying, in fact he was not making a sound. Christine slowly approached him. Thoughts of Raoul were absent from her mind, the key lay forgotten on top of the organ. She wanted to comfort him but was unsure how. She approached him slowly her hand hovering awkwardly in the air. She touched his shoulder tenderly and felt his entire body tense as he let out a whimpered sob.

"Erik," she said as she began to cry again.

Without a thought she collapsed behind him. Grabbing him around the waist and sobbing into his back. She felt she needed to be near him. She wished to undo all her wrong doings to him to have him forgive her. She needed his forgiveness. He had begged her for her forgiveness moments before and she was too naïve to see it was actually her who needed his. She was a terrible person. How could she have ever conceived to hurt this man again?

"Stop." It was a gentle but deadly command.

Christine stopped crying and lifted her head from Erik's back. Her arms still clasped around his waist. Cold, graceful fingers pried her grip apart and threw her carelessly onto her back.

She stared up at Erik's tall imposing figure as he stood to face her. "I don't need your crocodile tears staining my coat."

**A/N: Seems like we've had a bit of a misunderstanding. Hoped you enjoyed as always please review! **


	3. Surrender

**A/N: It may be a while until the next update. I am Stampeding this weekend! (Calgary Stampede) so I will not have time to write for at least 4 days. But here is a longer chapter to tide you over until I am back! Please R/R and enjoy!**

Christine stared up at Erik, her shock clearly written across her delicate features.

"Erik?" She ventured timidly.

"What is it Christine?" He said venomously, "What is it that precious Christine needs now?"

Christine stared at Erik. Her eyes swimming with tears she now refused to shed. Her voice was frozen in her throat.

"Perhaps," Erik continued, "Christine is here to use her feminine wiles to convince Erik to release her young man."

The words hit Christine harder than if he had slapped her. It felt as if he had just pulled her still beating heart from her chest and left a gaping hole in its place, a hole that was now beginning to fill with fear and dread. The shock on Christine's face melted away as it became the embodiment of horror.

"Or maybe," Erik took a step forward causing Christine to lean backward so far her hair hit the floor, "She is here to distract Erik while she steals the key."

His voice was cold, stoic and deliberate. The only thing betraying his true fury was the intense burning of his eyes. The combination of the two frightened Christine to her very core.

"Erik, I…" She choked out, not sure of what she could possibly say.

"You, what?" Erik spat, roughly grabbing Christine by the hair pulling her to him.

"I…" She tried again.

He was so close to her she could feel his breath on her face. She looked into those burning eyes and lost all courage. The fury! How could she have ever thought that she could do anything without him knowing? He was everywhere and as she stared into those burning eyes she knew that this was the end. He would never let her go. There was nothing to be done he had already sealed her fate.

"Erik knows." He grated out metallically before dropping Christine unceremoniously back on to the floor.

Christine's face lay against the wooden floor. It felt cool on her heated cheeks. She wanted to just melt into it, forget all that had happened. Forget all that was currently happening. She tried to resist but she began crying again as her whole world began to collapse in on her.

"Christine cries entirely too much." Erik stated disgusted, pulling her up roughly by her wrists.

Christine stood. Her knees were weak and the hole where her heart use to be throbbed painfully. The only thing keeping Christine on her feet was the firm, almost painful, grip Erik had on her wrists. She dared look at him. He stood stone still; his eyes were burning with malice.

"Did Christine really think she could trick Erik in his own home? Erik hears her anywhere in his opera house. Did you not think that that applied here?" Erik sneered, "Or perhaps you thought you could out smart Erik, that hushed tones would never be heard?"

Christine trembled under his gaze. She adverted her eyes but could still feel his stare burning into her. She felt as if she was falling. It had been too good to be true. She had thought she was in control but he had used her. Fury stung her eyes and once again she swore she hated him, completely forgetting her earlier revelations. He had used music to play with her emotions to toy with her like a cat does a mouse.

"Or maybe Christine would prefer and example." He stated blandly letting her wrists go and leaving the room.

Christine tumbled to the floor when Erik let her go, landing in a pool of her skirts. Her heart raced as she heard his footsteps grow faint. Her head flooded with thoughts of Raoul. Her Raoul, an innocent hare whose only crime was loving her and the giant hawk that was Erik was currently bearing down on him, talons flashing. So with a desperate sob she gathered her courage and somehow found the strength to stand and run to her lover.

She had expected a lot worse when she entered the room. She expected murder and mayhem, blood and bodies. But to her immense relief all she saw was Erik standing quietly next to a little lighted window. She approached hesitantly, she knew if Erik was this calm there was something wrong.

"Erik, please," She begged staring at the window.

"Oh Christine had seen the little light in the window. Perhaps Christine would like to see." He mocked, placing a ladder before her.

She tentatively climbed the steps certain that this is where the mayhem lay. She was certain she about to see the dead body of her poor sweet Raoul.

"It would be easier to see if Christine opened her eyes." Erik said icily.

With his words Christine's eyes popped open and her stomached clenched. She blinked rapidly as her eyes adjusted to the intense light. Then she saw it. Raoul! He was still alive, but he seemed to be in great pain. She pushed herself closer to the window to get a better look, placing both her hands on the wall.

"Ahh, its burning hot!" She screamed taking her hands quickly from the wall and nearly falling to the floor.

"Perhaps that is why they call it the torture chamber." Erik said flippantly.

Christine gazed fervently back inside watching her Raoul writhe and struggle in the unbearable heat.

"Erik you're killing them!" She shouted, turning to stare at her captor.

"Indeed." Erik said with indifference.

"Erik, please!" She tried again. "Erik, please stop this!"

"Why should Erik? Why should Erik care for Christine's feelings when she does not care for his?"

"Because my indiscretions never came at the cost of someone's life!" She screamed, her frustration boiling to the surface.

"Is that so?" Erik's voice was deadly, "Your desertion would have killed me and you were all too happy to plan it with your precious Viscount!"

"That was different!" Christine yelled back, ignoring the quiet calm of Erik's tone.

"How so?" The hatred was clear in his voice.

"Because you intend to kill them! You don't care if their blood is forever stained on your monstrous hands!" Tears of fury burned in her eyes, "You know your actions will kill them!"

"So did you." Erik hissed. "I heard you. I heard every word you whispered to your precious little Viscount that night on the roof. You were only all too eager to leave your Erik even after fully admitting that you knew your desertion would kill him."

"It's different." Christine mumbled, losing confidence in her argument.

"Indeed." Erik said, turning his back to her.

A groan from the torture chamber broke the deafening silence that filled the room. Causing Christine to muster her courage once more and approach Erik.

"If you let them go, alive, I will stay her with you… you monster." Christine spat.

"Christine, no!" Was Raoul's strangled cry from the other side of the wall, "I have no life without you!"

"And you don't have one with her either monsieur." Erik replied quickly.

"Erik you monster, let her go!" The unfamiliar voice called.

"This matter does not concern you Daroga." Erik replied.

"I saved you life once, you owe me this!" The Daroga cried.

"Erik owes you nothing! You are a foolish man and have overstayed your welcome." Erik said casually as if talking to a pesky house guest.

"Erik, think of what you are doing!" The Daroga cried once again trying for his freedom.

"Silence." Erik said. It was simply put but the Daroga understood the deadly undertone.

"The honor of our fates lies with Mlle Daae." Erik continued, placing two boxes on the table before him. "Here are two figures, beautifully made don't you think? The scorpion and the grasshopper. Turn the scorpion if you agree to marry me. Turn the grasshopper if you decline and remember, the grasshopper jumps jolly high!"

Erik left the room leaving Christine alone. Her head pounded as she stared at the figurines. She heard the voices of Raoul and the Daroga; she couldn't make out the words as they all seemed to blend together into a deafening hum. She seemed to be standing next to herself, a bystander to her life. She watched as she reached forward and grasped the scorpion. Watched as she released it and grabbed the grasshopper. Watched as Erik reentered the room.

"Christine has turned neither. Then Erik shall turn the grasshopper, goodbye Christine!"

"Wait no," Christine's voice cut through the haze, "I have turned the scorpion!"

Christine continued to stare at the scorpion even as the sound of rushing water filled her ears. Her body was numb. She had sentenced herself to death but at least she had saved her dear Raoul.

"Erik, help!" Cried the Daroga, "If you don't let us out we will drown!"

"Erik!" Christine gasped, grabbing Erik's sleeve. "I have consented to marry you! Let them go!"

"This matter does not concern Christine." Erik stated, taking her by the arm and locking her in her room.

She heard his footsteps disappear and moments later heard no more cries for help. He had let them die. She had given herself to him, swore to stay with him and he still let them drown. She had given her life for nothing. She placed her hand on the wall. She was certain the body of her love lay dead in the room next to her. As soon as the realization that she would never see Raoul alive again hit her the walls quickly closed in. The ground cracked open beneath her feet and she was swallowed whole by the darkness.

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed! Please review and let me know what you though!**


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